I Won't Let You Go
by Tara-57
Summary: He was bitten by a werewolf; That's why she came back. She had to see him, to see if there was anything she could do. There was no way she was going to let him go without a fight. But then Katherine brought the cure; Damon was saved. Now the only problem was Stefan being off the rails. And when a group of Cold Ones comes looking for her and adds even more drama, what happens?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries or Twilight. All rights belong to Stephanie Meyer and Julie Plec.

* * *

Damon raised his head slightly. That was a big mistake. In an instant, he was clutching the small garbage can by his bed, coughing up blood. No matter how often he felt like he was hacking up a lung, it never seemed to be enough torment.

_If I'm gonna die, can't the universe just get it over with? _Damon thought, nearly annoyed at how much suffering he seemed destined to endure.

"No, as a matter of fact, it can't," Came a voice from the doorway.

_I said that out loud?_

"Yes, Wise-guy, you did," It was the same voice, this time closer.

Damon opened his eyes and tried to see a face without turning his head - It seemed to cause more harm then good when he did. When his eyes finally landed on the figure, he almost flashed beside it.

However, reality caught up to him. His senses kicked in and reminded him of his current situation - Bitten by a Werewolf. Rose had gone through the same agony. He had watched it happen, seen her mind slip away from time to time. She had attacked Elena because she believed it to be Katherine. That being said, Damon was now certain that this was his own mind playing whatever tricks it could conjure.

This was just cruel. The physical pain was one thing. Sure, it hurt like hell. But did he really need the emotional pain as well? To be reminded of everything that he had loved and lost? He didn't want this. He didn't want to rehash the stupid mistake that had driven her from his arms. He just wanted to die already.

_Why didn't Stefan just let me burn? _He wondered, because in all honesty, it would have made everything easier on everyone in this screwed up little town.

"Don't think like that," The hallucination of Isabella scolded him. Further proof that she was a figment of his imagination - Apparently she was hearing his thoughts.

"I'm not hearing your thoughts, you idiot. Your just too weak to realize that your speaking your mind." She traveled to the bed and sat beside him, worry in her doe-like eyes. Damon found himself unable to look away from them. "I'm not a hallucination, you know," She stated.

_Why else would she be here? _He thought tiredly.

"Because you got bit by a Werewolf, dumbass, that's why," She said, "Did you honestly think I wouldn't care enough to come?"

Damon did his best to speak clearly, "If your not-" That was all he got out before the coughing started. Once he was settled down, he tried talking again, "If your not in my head, then how did you know I was here? Like this?" He asked.

She sighed and straightened her back. "She called and told me what happened. Said she knew you meant a lot to me and knew that I would want to be here."

"Damon?" Elena's knock interrupted whatever reply Damon had thought of. The doppelgänger entered the room without invitation, hoping Damon was sleeping restfully.

Upon entering, she noticed the brunette sitting beside him and was taken aback. _What the hell? _Who was this girl? And how did she even get in?

"Who are you?" Elena asked, her brow furrowed.

"What do you mean, Elena?" Damon asked. He was the only person in the room.

"She means me, dumbass," The stranger said in an annoyed voice, " This is the first time I'm meeting the newest Petrova doppelgänger."

Elena's heartbeat quickened at this statement. If this girl knew about the doppelgänger, that meant she was involved in the supernatural world. It also meant that she, like so many others, probably saw the price that seemed to hang over Elena's head thanks to Klaus.

The girl seemed not to notice Elena's sudden fear as she continued speaking, "Now where are your manners at, Salvatore? You get a tiny little wolf bite and think it's okay to leave two strangers to introduce _themselves _to one another? I thought your momma raised you better than that. Just because you're weak doesn't mean you get to be ignorant, you know." She finished with an amusing exasperated sigh.

Elena watched, confused, as the girl stood from the bed and approached her. She extended a hand and began her own introduction - Something that appeared to be of a great inconvenience to her.

"Hi, I'm Isabella Pierce," She said happily. Elena's eyes bugged out of their sockets.

"You're Katherine's sister?" She asked, fear evident in her voice.

"I see you've met her. You can stop shaking and trying to remember where the closest exit is. Out the door, to the left, by the way- It's the only window that opens on this floor. Anyway, yes, Katherine is my sister. She's a real bitch, isn't she?"

Elena couldn't speak. She just stared at the woman before her. Who the hell was this girl? Sure, she was Katherine's sister, but why was she here? What did she want? Her mind was rapidly thinking of question after question but she was still too stunned to form the words nessaccary to ask them.

"Well, while you work on trying to close your mouth, I'm just gonna sit back down. Let me know when you can form a sentence," Bella said, before turning to Elena once more, "You know what, I don't have all day. Better make it a word. Blink once if you understand," She waited for the blink that never came.

Instead, Elena just went, "Wh-uh-wha-hu-bu-"

"Alrighty then," Bella said, feeling slightly sorry for the poor girl.

She walked back over to Damon's bedside. He had been watching the interaction with tired eyes. He was still looking that way as Elena exited the room, probably to tell the rest of the gang about the new girl in town.

Isabella could tell that Damon just wanted to sleep. She knelt down next to the bed and took his hand with one of hers as she stroked his hair with the other.

"It's okay to sleep, you know," She said softly, "I'll still be here when you wake up."

Damon's eyes drifted shut. He was almost out. "You were talking to Elena," He said, as though just realizing it.

"Yeah,"

"And she was talking to you," He said, more himself than to her. _She's here... _He thought. _She's actually here..._

"Yes, she is," The petite brunette replied with a soft laugh. He was back to talking without knowing it, "And she's not leaving your side this time." She said with conviction.

Damon opened his eyes weakly. He was really fighting to stay conscious, but now that he knew she was really here, he didn't want to waste any time.

"Damon..." She breathed, "Sleep. I swear to you I will be hear when you wake up."

"I don't have much time," He said, seemingly ignoring her words, "I have to make it up to you, tell you what happened,"

This was the conversation she had been fearing. This was the topic they always left alone, because it was simply easier that way. But now, Damon was on his deathbed and he wanted to dredge up everything that hurt. She couldn't do this right now, she was barely holding herself together as it was. So she did what she thought was best and pushed it off until he was better rested.

"Shh, sleep, Damon. We can talk about it later."

"I may not-" He was cut off by his own coughing, "I may not be here later-"

"Don't talk like that," She stopped him.

"Isa-"

"No. Damon, I promise you, you will get through this. We will find a cure."

"Isa-"

"We just have to keep looking. Broaden the search. I heard there's a Bennett witch in town?"

"Isa." He said it with surprising force. He couldn't watch her do this - Drive herself insane searching for something that didn't exist. "There's nothing that can be done. You know that,"

"But-"

"No. You know there's not a cure. I don't want you getting your hopes up."

"I can't just do nothing, Damon!" She nearly shouted, "I can't just sit back and watch you wither away. Don't ask me to do nothing. Don't ask me to let you go. Please," She whimpered the last word.

"Come here," He whispered, and scooted over in the bed to give her room to lay down.

She crawled onto the bed so that she was facing him and rested her head in the crook of his chin. He wrapped both his arms around her form and held her while she cried into his chest. Damon knew better than to try and reassure her with words like 'it's okay,' and 'everything's gonna be fine,' because in truth, he didn't know if it would be.

"I'll never really leave you." He stated. There was no room for argument in his tone but that didn't seem to stop Isa.

"And I'll never let you go." She tilted her head back to look him in the eyes. "Despite everything that's happened in the past, I just need you to know that you're it for me."

"As you are for me. But I want you to promise me something, Isa,"

"Anything," She quickly replied.

"Be happy. No matter what happens, just be happy," With that said, Damon couldn't fight sleep anymore. His eyes were slowly drifting shut. Isabella stared at him, amazed.

This was the time. He was almost gone and had just told her to be happy without him there. Now she wanted to get something just as important off her chest.

Isa lifted herself so her lips were only a breath away from his, and she whispered one little sentence.

"I love you, Damon." She closed the distance between their lips and softly kissed him, pouring her heart into the simple act and hoping he could feel the amount of love she felt for him.

"Well isn't this cozy," The two on the bed jumped at the interruption. Isa turned to see her older sister.

"Katerina,"

* * *

Okay, so, Hi everyone! I'm Tara-57, or just Tara, and this is my very first FanFic that I'm officially publishing. I do a lot of other writing but that's mostly just for an outlet. Let me know what you guys think, Review, PM. Either way, doesn't matter.

My updates will probably be sporadic just to let you know, but if I develop any sort of schedule it will be posted on my profile. I'm also in the market for a Beta reader. Anyone interested let me know.

Enjoy and please review - Honestly, not any of that 'First Fic, Be Nice' crap, I want truth; Nothing but. Love y'all


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries or Twilight.

* * *

_Previously__: _

_Isa lifted herself so her lips were only a breath away from his, and she whispered one little sentence._

_"I love you, Damon." She closed the distance between their lips and softly kissed him, pouring her heart into the simple act and hoping he could feel the amount of love she felt for him._

_"Well isn't this cozy," The two on the bed jumped at the interruption. Isa turned to see her older sister._

_"Katerina,"_

* * *

"Katerina,"

"Iskra,"

"I see your free from Klaus." Isa stated.

"Yup. He asked me to deliver something. The idiot," Katherine rolled her eyes as she stepped towards her sister.

"Are you gonna make the delivery? You don't want Klaus getting suspicious,"

"What do you think I'm doing here?" Katherine asked as she held up the small bottle.

Isa took a step closer, her brows furrowed. "What is that?"

"It's exactly what you wanted."

Katherine stepped around her sister and sat on the bed next to Damon. She tugged on his chin until his mouth was parted then slipped the contents of the container into his mouth. "Drink up,"

"Katherine," Isa demanded, "What is that?"

Katherine sighed, "Klaus' blood. Apparently it's the cure for a Werewolf bite." She watched her sister's eyes go wide with shock. "Yeah, the big reveal was not something I want a repeat of. But, hey, now Damon's gonna be fine and you two can ride off into the sunset. So sad that poor Stefan had to pay the price for your happiness, little sister."

"What are you talking about? Where is Stefan?"

"Oh, he's perfectly fine. Probably still on a human-blood high, so he should be perfectly happy until his brain catches up with his actions."

"What did Klaus do to him?" Damon grunted out.

"As it turns out, Klaus didn't really want Stefan. He wanted the Ripper. So he fed him a few blood bags and a blonde or two then whispered some compulsion that I didn't hear and let him go. He's downstairs as we speak rummaging through your freezer."

Damon's eyes grew the size of saucers. "Elena,"

With his regained strength after taking the cure, Damon grabbed Isa's hand and flashed to the parlor, Katherine following quickly behind them. They found Caroline and Bonnie blocking off Elena, Jeremy, and Alaric from Stefan's reach. Caroline had her 'vampire face' out and was hissing through her fangs while Bonnie was giving Stefan an aneurism that would knock him out for a good while.

Once he was down, Isa sped to Elena's side.

"Are you okay?" She asked with concern. Elena was one of her descendants. No matter how thin the bloodline was, she was still family. Isa didn't take that for granted.

Elena seemed stunned both at her sudden appearance and the worry she was showing. She responded with a nervous nod. Isa rubbed Elena's arm and gave her a soft hug. This girl, Elena, was strong. Katherine had told Isa about Elena having the Petrova fire. It seemed she was right.

She let go and looked to Stefan's limp form. If he was back on human blood then he couldn't be left out.

"We need to put him in the cellar downstairs." She stated sadly. Isa looked over to Damon to make sure it was okay that she do this.

Damon nodded. He knew Isa had helped Stefan like this before. She had been a major part of Stefan's stories when Lexi was helping him turn his humanity back on. Damon trusted Isa with his little brother.

Apparently the rest of the gang had other thoughts on the matter.

"Who the hell are you?" Caroline screeched.

"Someone who can help. Save the introductions for later. Right now, I need a strong pair of arms to help me get Stefan downstairs." Isa said, as she rolled Stefan onto his back. No one made any attempt to do as she said, nor did they form any sort of reply.

"What are you gonna do to him?" Elena finally asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

Isa stood from Stefan's side and looked the doppelgänger straight in the eyes. "Help him." She stated, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Isa looked around the room at the unfamiliar faces, "I know you don't know who I am, and given your history with the supernatural you probably won't trust me for a really long time. But right now, you need to set aside your issues or whatever it is and let me help you. Stefan's gone off the rails, and it's gonna take a lot to get him back. Now, I've been there before; I know what it takes to help him. I'm going to be here whether you like it or not because, frankly, you guys have no idea what your dealing with."

With that said, she turned back around and knelt next to Stefan again, surveying his condition. He would be unconscious for quite some time. That was good. It would give her some time with the group to formulate a plan.

She gazed up at the blonde who was staring at her like she had three heads, "Hey, you, Barbie, you're a vampire, right?" The girl nodded, "Then a little help here would be very much appreciated. You too, 'Rina," Isa addressed her sister.

Katherine and Caroline both stepped forward. Together, the three girls carefully carried Stefan down and placed him gently on the floor before locking the cellar door.

They walked back to the parlor in silence to find Elena, Jeremy, and Alaric on one couch, Bonnie on the other, and Damon standing in front of the lit fireplace. Caroline moved to sit next to Bonnie and Katherine remained in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

Isa walked over to Damon's side and wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"How are you feeling?" She asked softly.

"Better, still a little out of it," He turned around and moved her hands up to his neck then rested his arms around her waist as she had done.

"You should be resting. It's not everyday a vampire gets bitten by a werewolf,"

"True. But it's also not everyday that said vampire gets cured of the werewolf bite and finds out that it's not his last day on earth. It makes the day, like, ten times less exhausting. Therefore, I don't need rest."

Isa rolled her eyes at him, "Damon," She said in a warning tone.

"C'mon, Isa," Damon turned serious, "I just got you back. No way am I missing out on time with you until it's absolutely necessary."

At this point, Caroline had heard enough. She needed answers about this chick. Now.

"Okay, who the hell are you?" She demanded, ruining the couples' moment. "Damon, who the hell is she?"

Isa turned to see the rest of the group eyeing her as well.

"Forgive me, I was rude earlier. It's an intense situation we're in right now. So, introduction time. Wait, let me guess. Barbie; You're Caroline, right? Sorry for the Barbie thing, I just didn't know what else to call you besides Blondie. Lesser of two evils and all that jazz." Katherine and Damon both snorted, familiar with Isa's abrupt character. Isa continued, "Emily number two; You're Bonnie, right? The Bennett witch I've heard so much about. You look so much like your ancestor it's a little creepy."

"You knew Emily?" Bonnie asked, stunned.

"Yeah, but we'll get to that in a minute. I already met Elena. Of course, I'm not really sure how much of that introduction was retained on her part. She kinda looked like a fish out of water. You must be her brother- Cousin- Oh, whatever. You're family and you're Gilberts, correct?"

The two in question nodded hesitantly.

"Jamie?"

"Close," The young man stood and stretched out his hand, "I'm Jeremy,"

"Nice to meet you, _Jeremy_," She replied, shaking his outstretched hand. She turned to Damon and said, "I like this one. He's got manners. I'm guessing you two don't get along very well?" She teased and turned back to face the last person.

"I'm sorry, I can't even begin to take a guess at who you are. It seems my resources were not very resourceful," She gave Katherine a pointed look. The older doppelgänger just rolled her eyes.

He looked at her, slightly confused, then turned to Damon for reassurance. When he was met with a nod, he too stood and held out his hand, "Alaric Saltzman. Friends get to call me Ric,"

"Pray tell, Mr. Saltzman, have you come to decide yet whether I am friend or foe?"

"Not yet," He admitted.

Isa didn't reply. Instead, she stepped back to where she had been by Damon's side. He wrapped an arm around her waist.

"That's everyone here, right? No one's gonna come downstairs at the end of my story and demand I retell it because they didn't hear, are they?"

"For now, these are the only people that need to know you," Damon said, "Besides, anything you tell them will be retold to anyone who doesn't hear it first hand."

"Fine," She sighed, facing the group, "Well, I guess you guys need to know what to call me, you know, other than 'the bitch who stormed in and took things over,' so here goes. My name is Iskra Petrova, more commonly known as Isabella Pierce."

This little speech was met with a chorus of 'WHAT?!' from the entire room, excluding Katherine, Damon and Elena, who had heard this bit of information earlier.

"I'm Katerina's little sister," Isa stated.

All pairs of eyes turned to the older doppelgänger.

"Don't look at me. It's not like I had anything to do with it," Katherine said, hands raised in mock surrender, "Look, can we hurry this along. I've got better things to do than tell our story to the Scooby-Gang of Mystic Falls and relive trauma. If I wanted that, I would've compelled myself a therapist years ago."

"Very well, 'Rina," Isa blurred to her sister's side, "Enjoy your freedom from Klaus."

"I always do, Isa. I'll stay in touch; Let you know where I am in a few days," Katherine said.

"Thanks. Take care, sister, and, please, try to come around more often. This is the first time I've seen you since '91, remember?"

Katherine smiled at the fun memory, "Sure do; Queen concert. They ended the show with 'Don't Stop Me Now' and it seemed to inspire you to go up and down the streets, screaming the lyrics at the top of your lungs. You said, and I quote, 'If I _sing_ don't stop me now, then no one _will _stop me now.' Who was I to argue with that logic. But when the first police siren rang out, I bailed."

"Yes, so you didn't stick around to see me talk myself out of a night in jail,"

"Seriously?"

"Yup. Didn't even have to compel the guy. Just batted my eyelashes and played the good girl card. 'No, please, don't arrest me. I've never done anything like this before. Please sir, I can't get into any trouble, I'll lose my scholarship. You understand that, don't you, Officer?' He was offering me a ride back to my dorm and asking me to dinner within ten minutes." Isa laughed fondly at the fun memory. She had been incredibly drunk, even by vampire standards, and it seemed to get her into some sticky situations.

Katherine laughed along with her, perfectly able to imagine the tale her little sister had just related to her. "It seems I've trained you well. Sorry I missed the show, but you know me; First sign of trouble and I'm gone in ten seconds or less,"

"Yeah, well, I understand. Go on, get out of here. Just leave me your number, okay?"

"Already left it on a notepad in the kitchen. Goodbye, Iskra."

"See you later, Katerina." Isa sighed, returning to Damon's side.

Damon wrapped a comforting arm around her.

"Well, I guess it's story time for you guys, right?" She addressed the people spread across the room. They had been watching the interaction between sisters in amazement. That was the most humanity they had ever seen Katherine show. Everyone nodded.

Isa sat down, cross-legged, on the floor in front the fire, Damon following shortly. He knew the story, he was part of it, and he knew she'd need the support.

Isa took a deep breath, "Well then, where to begin?"

* * *

**Author's Note: **

Hey guys. Just wanted to say thanks for the positive feedback I've received so far. I'd love to hear more of what you think.

Any idea's on what happened between Damon and Isa? Why she hasn't been with Damon all along? Or any suggestions on how the story should progress? Want more flashbacks in the future? Let me know. I'll take it into consideration.

I also wanted to let you guys know that after this chapter, I'm going to aim for updating every Saturday or Sunday.

Love you- Tara


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. If I owned Vampire Diaries or Twilight, Delena would've happened in season 1 and Bella would've grown a spine much sooner.

Author's Note: Okay, this is a long chapter, over 3,000 words, with 3 flashbacks! You'll see how Isa first met both Salvatore brothers and one more flashback. let me know what you think. Tell me if you want more Katherine, some Originals, more flashbacks. I need to know. Until next Sunday.

* * *

_Previously: _

_Damon wrapped a comforting arm around her._

_"Well, I geuss it's story time for you guys, right?" She addressed the people spread across the room. They had been watching the interaction between sisters in amazement. That was the most humanity they had ever seen Katherine show. Everyone nodded._

_Isa sat down, cross-legged, on the floor in front the fire, Damon following shortly. He knew the story, he was part of it, and he knew she'd need the support._  
_Isa took a deep breath, "Well then, where to begin?"_

* * *

"Okay. So you guys know the story of Katerina being banished to England when she was seventeen, right?" Everyone nodded. "And how she met Klaus and got involved with the supernatural?" Again, everyone nodded, "Well, basically, just add me to it. I went with 'Rina because I thought our father was being cruel and I didn't want her to be all alone. We met the Mikaelsons, and when we found out why they were really interested in 'Rina, we ran. You already know how Rose changed her.

"Once 'Rina completed the transition, she changed me and we stayed together, running from Klaus for about three decades. After that, we went our separate ways. 'Rina didn't like putting me in danger constantly. We found each other again in the late 1790's and came to America in the early 1800's, positive that Klaus couldn't find us when we were ocean's away."

"In case you haven't guessed it yet, this is the part where we handsome Salvatore brothers come in." Damon interrupted.

"Thank you for enlightening us, Damon. Now shut it, Salvatore. I'm trying to sum up five-hundred years on earth. Not exactly the easiest thing in the world, you know," Isa said.

"Just trying to help," He said.

"That's a first," She muttered, "Anyway, 'Rina and I came to America and split again. While we were apart, she went to Mystic Falls and got this jackass and his brother involved in our world-"

"If you were apart, then how do you know about that?" Elena cut her off.

Isa sighed, "I know you guys may not understand it, but my sister and I are very close. You know, in our own extremely dysfunctional way. We tell each other everything, and no matter how far we may stray from one another, we always find our way back. We take family very seriously. Now, 'Rina and I may have very different views of what makes a family but we'll never give up on each other," Isa dryly laughed to herself, "I guess you could say that we both have some serious abandonment issues."

Damon scooted forward and wrapped an arm around Isa's neck. He pull her head towards him and gave a soft kiss to her temple. She blinked and looked at him with a reassuring smile.

"So, Katherine involved them in Mystic Falls. That's where I was, right? That was 1864..." She drifted off, trying to remember sequence of events. Five-hundred years was a long time sum-up in ten minutes. "Oh yeah," You could practically see the lightbulb go off in her head, "I was a wanderer until the 1900's. I had heard about the church and the tomb and was in the dark with everyone else- Basically, 'Rina had forgotten to let me know that she wasn't desiccating for eternity in some town in Virginia."

"I see what you mean by abandonment issues," Caroline mumbled under her breath, though Isa and Damon both heard it. Isa grinned in her direction.

"I ended up in Chicago in the late 1920's with a great friend of mine and that's where I ran into Stefan for the first time. Of course he wasn't really Stefan. Back then, he was known as the Ripper of Monterey. And he relished in living up to the name." Isa's eyes became distant as she remembered how she had found Stefan.

* * *

_Flashback_

_Chicago- 1920's_

_Stefan wiped the corner of his mouth after finishing his latest meal. He knelt to the ground, inspecting a necklace that seemed oddly familiar, though he couldn't quite place it. He suddenly heard a throat clear behind him and turned to the source._

_A familiar blonde smirked down at him. To her right stood a brunette who just stared at him curiously. Her gaze never faltered as he stood and greeted her companion, blatantly ignoring her presence._

_"Lexi," He said, curtly._

_"Stefan," She replied, "I see you've been busy since the last time we met,"_

_"Here to join the fun, are you?" He asked, "'Cause there's always room for more. And with me around, you know the party never ends," He smiled at her in an almost sadistic way._

_"Actually, no, that's not why we're here, Stef,"_

_"Oh, so your plan was to show up and be a party-pooper? That doesn't sound like the Lexi I know," He said._

_"Well, the Lexi you know will be back as soon as the Stefan she knows is back as well." Lexi stated, getting annoyed that she hadn't just snuck up on him and injected him with vervain. Stefan without humanity seemed to love the sound of his own voice entirely too much._

_He rolled his eyes, "I see. Your here to 'save me,' to help me control myself. When I, in fact, am perfectly fine. So now that you know that, you and your little friend here can be on your merry way."_

_The brunette beside her turned to face Lexi and said, "You know, I don't think he wants our help,"_

_"And what gave you that impression, Sweetheart?" Stefan asked her. She turned back to face him, lips pursed in annoyance. "I never did catch your name," He said, eyeing her._

_"I never gave one," She replied._

_"Well, you were willing to come here with Lexi just to help me get straightened out. I feel it's only right that I know what to call you," He said with a grin._

_"And I feel that you're a tad bit desperate," She said, turning back to Lexi. "I thought we came here to bring back the nice Stefan,"_

_"We did," Lexi said, "Do you want to do it, or should I?" Stefan's brow furrowed._

_"I'll do it," She said. Thirty seconds later, she had snapped his neck and the two girls were carrying Stefan out of the bar._

_"I cannot believe you convinced me to do this," The brunette muttered._

_"Oh, come on. It's not that bad," Lexi said, " Stefan will be fine in a few months and after that I'll take over. You can bail. I just thought I'd be a good friend and give a little purpose to your life."_

_"Yeah, yeah. I get it. But seriously, if he's still a prick in five months and hitting on me every second, I'm out."_

_"Got it. I can't believe he called you 'sweetheart,' though. That's like an all-time low of Stefan,"_

_"I was about ready to knock his teeth out," She growled._

_"I know, I saw your look; Nice restraint, by the way,"_

_"Well, I didn't want to be the one to blame for messing up this baby-face,"_

_Lexi made no response, just laughed. They reached their car and layed Stefan in the floor of the backseat._

_"Hey, Lexi,"_

_"Hmm?"_

_"Thanks for looking out for me,"_

_"Anytime, Isa," They smiled at each other._

_"Okay," Isa said, "Enough sappy crap. Time to torture the Ripper."_

_"What did he ever do to you?" Lexi asked jokingly._

_Isa turned to her friend, "He called me 'Sweetheart.'"_

_End Of Flashback_

* * *

"I stayed until Stefan was back to feeding on the Bambis of the world. He was much more tolerable, really just a lot more fun, with his humanity back on. For a few years it was just me, him, and Lexi."

"Stefan never mentioned you, though," Elena said, confused, "I met Lexi and he told me about her, but Stefan never said anything about you,"

Surprisingly, it was Damon who spoke up. "My brother doesn't like reliving his past. You know that. Besides, he wouldn't talk about Isa if I were around to hear it." Elena looked at him, confused, but Damon didn't elaborate any further on that particular subject. "Now everyone pay attention; This is this part where I come in."

"The three of us stuck together until somewhere in the 40's, I believe. World War Two. Stefan was due to deploy and Lexi and I were making sure to celebrate our last week as the three musketeers, as we had very unoriginally called ourselves. And who do we see on our last wild night out but Mr. Blue-Eyes, here."

"Sure enough," Damon picked up the story. "It's New Orleans, nineteen-fourty-something, and I'm sitting at the bar when this girl sits down right next to me and just starts talking."

"Now, now, Blue-Eyes. If I remember correctly, you were the one to initiate the conversation and the flirting,"

"Oh Isa, when will you learn that the two are one and the same?" Damon smirked.

"I'm sorry, wasn't I the one to teach you that?" She said, smirking as well as the memory rushed to the forefront of her mind.

* * *

_Flashback_

_New Orleans- 1940's_

_Damon sat enjoying his bourbon while surveying the area for potential dates and potential victims. Then again, weren't they usually the same thing?_

_Suddenly, a purse being thrown down on the just beside him alerted Damon to the fact that he was no longer alone._

_"Bourbon, neat," It was a woman. Damon looked over two see a pretty brunette. The girl turned to look at him and smirked._

_"You sure a little thing like you can handle a drink that strong?" He asked without any other form of greeting._

_The bartender set the drink in front of her at that moment. She grabbed it and downed the glass while keeping her eyes trained on Damon the entire time. She slammed the empty glass back down and motioned for a refill. She turned back to Damon, smirking._

_"I like strong," She said simply._

_Damon smirked at the mystery woman and turned to bartender, "Put hers on my tab, John, and bring two shots of whiskey," John nodded and was off to get Damon's order._

_"That's awfully kind of you, Blue-Eyes," The woman said._

_"Blue-Eyes?" He asked._

_"Well, you haven't given me your name yet,"_

_"True," He sipped his drink. "So, what brings you here? I haven't seen your face before."_

_"Passing through town. Thought I'd have a little fun."_

_"Why just passing through?"_

_"Why do you want to know?"_

_"Just trying to be friendly."_

_She sighed. "Looking for a change of scenery, I guess."_

_He chuckled knowingly. "So why are you running from your past?" He asked._

_"What makes you think I'm running?"_

_"'Change of scenery?' Come on, that's practically code for 'getting away from the tragedy that is my life,'"_

_"Fine, you caught me."_

_"So what's the story?"_

_"Ah-ah, not so fast, Blue-Eyes. Why are you running?"_

_"And what makes you think I'm running, Sweetheart?"_

_"Takes one to know one. You speak the language all too well. And a friendly word of advice; Do not call me Sweetheart. Men have lost body parts - Valuable body parts - for that."_

_Damon was silent, staring at this girl with wide eyes and a grin. He had never been insulted this way by anyone, much less a woman. And he could tell she was a spitfire; A challenge._

_"What am I supposed to call you then?" He asked simply._

_She stared at him for a moment before finally saying, "Call me Isa."_

_"Isa," He tested the name and loved the way it sounded. "Short for?"_

_"Stick around long enough. You just might find out," She winked at him._

_"Well, well, well," Both Damon and Isa turned to find the source of the voice. Damon's eyes widened._

_"Stefan," He said. Damon looked to his brother's left, "Lexi," He greeted._

_Isa looked between Mr. Blue-Eyes and her friends. "You guys know him?"_

_Stefan looked at her. "Damon here is my brother."_

_Isa's eyes widened at the revelation. The four were all quiet for a moment until Isa turned to grab her drink. "You're definitely going to regret paying for my drinks." She said, and downed what was left in the glass then grabbed Damon's drink out of his hand and did the same._

_"Whoo," She sighed out, then turned to Damon. "So, Damon, huh? I prefer Blue-Eyes,"_

_End Of Flashback_

* * *

"We just hit it off immediately. Stefan deployed the next day and Lexi left to travel around Europe; She was looking into her family tree. That just left me and Damon all by ourselves. And we became inseparable."

"This woman was my best friend," Damon told the group. "We stayed together for years,"

"What happened?" Caroline asked. "Why are we just now meeting you?"

Isa sighed. "I told him the truth. And when push came to shove it seemed Damon couldn't face the music."

* * *

_Flashback_

_Salvatore Boarding House- 1953_

_"No, it's not true," Damon said in denial. He ran his fingers through his hair and paced back and forth before the fire place._

_"Damon..." Isa sighed. Damon grabbed a glass from the cart and threw it into the fire making Isa jump. He looked back at her, eyes crazed._

_"This, this is just some sick joke. That's it," He muttered._

_"Damon," Isa repeated, more clearly this time. He stopped and looked into her eyes which were so full of sadness, as if she wished the words weren't true. "It's not a joke." She said._

_With that one sentence, Damon's entire demeanor changed._

_"I'm going out." He grinded out._

_"Damon-"_

_"Don't." He snapped, then sighed. "I need time to process this."_

_He walked out and sped towards the local bar. Isa fell back on the couch and repeatedly muttered to herself, "I shouldn't have told him. I shouldn't have told him." Tears began to form in her eyes. "My stupid sister," She sobbed quietly. "Why did she have to meet him first?"_

_Damon had told Isa about how he became a vampire a long time ago. It was among their first intense conversations making their bond that much stronger. Damon had told of his first love and Isa had connected the dots the minute she heard him say the name 'Katherine.'_  
_Of course, being the coward that she was and afraid of losing him, she kept the truth to herself. Hell, she had managed to keep her last name from him for nearly a decade._

_But last month, an old witch friend of Damon's had contacted him and told him about the tomb beneath the church where the vampire supposedly burned alive. Ever since then he had been relentless in gathering all the information he needed to get Katherine out._  
_It was clear that Isa couldn't keep the secret any longer. So today, before they did anything else, she sat him down and told him her story. Everything about her and Katherine._

_And it had ended in him storming out. She couldn't really blame him, though. She did lie to him about her past for almost ten years. No matter how bad it seemed right now, Isa tried to convince herself that it was better that he knew._

_He wouldn't walk out on her for good. They were best friends; Always there for each other. He would be back. She had to believe that._

_End Of Flashback_

* * *

"I realized that he would probably need a few days away from me to process so I packed a bag, got in my car, and just drove." Everyone's eyes turned to Damon, who was sitting with his hands around his knees, holding a glass of bourbon, and gazing into the fire. Isa just continued, "I went to find a witch who could confirm for me that 'Rina was in the tomb like Damon had been told. Only, when she did the locator spell, she found my sister in Italy." She looked down, brows furrowed, pushing herself to go on. "It had turned out that she wasn't in the tomb, like you guys know.

"Anyway, I was gone about a month before I felt like I needed to let Damon know, but when I got back, he was gone and I couldn't find him anywhere." Isa said to the group, though her tone told them that she was somewhere else entirely. "After six months, I just stopped looking altogether and figured he didn't want to be found." A tear fell down the side of her cheek, though it went unnoticed by Isa. Damon wiped it away with his thumb and looked her in the eyes.

There was a silent agreement between the two that they would talk later about this. Never before had they discussed this particular hardship they had faced, mostly because they hadn't faced it. Both had run from it, in their own individual ways.

They had seen each other since that day, of course, but neither had been willing to admit their faults in the situation.

"Hold on," Caroline suddenly said. "You're telling me your sister led you to believe that she was dead- or stuck in a tomb- whatever, and when you find out that she's alive and kicking you just welcome her back with open arms? Am I missing something here?"

Isa sighed, and looked down. "'Rina's a bitch-"

Caroline scoffed, "You got that right," She muttered.

Isa continued, "-But she's all the family I have left." She looked up. "You guy's have lost people, you know how it feels to be hanging on by a thread," All eyes softened, "For nearly forty years I thought she was dead. I didn't have anyone. Then I met Lexi, then Stefan, and they were great friends. And then Damon became my best friend, my family. And I lost him, too. So, yeah. Katerina lied to me. But at the end of the day I needed my sister."

Everyone was silenced. They all knew the pain of losing multiple loved ones around you. They understood her need to hang on to her last remaining family, no matter what Katherine had done in the past.

Isa sniffed and wiped her tears away, plastering on a smile that everyone saw right through. "Well," She said, trying to sound cheerful, though nobody believed it. "As fun as this has been, I am in dire need of sleep. Seventeen hours in a car straight and then reliving my life- It's all so exhausting," She said with exasperation.

Everyone looked at her with sympathy in their eyes. No one was buying this 'Okay' act and she knew it, but she couldn't stand the looks of pity on their faces. The least they could do was play along and not push her to talk.

"Isa..." Damon breathed. It seemed everyone else was going to respect her wishes except him. If she was honest with herself, she hadn't expected him to, anyway.

"Come on, Salvatore. A chance to take a woman to bed with you? I know you can't turn down that offer," She teased, but the look in her eyes told him that they would talk once they were alone.

"Well, we're just gonna head out," Alaric spoke up. "Jer? Elena?" Jeremy nodded and stood.

Elena hesitated. "Actually, Ric, I'm gonna stay stay here tonight. If that's okay?"

He looked to Damon who nodded, knowing that she was staying to ensure that Stefan was okay. Ric turned back to her and nodded, as well.

"I'm outta here. You need a ride, Bonnie?" Caroline asked.

"Sure," Bonnie turned to Elena before they walked out. "If you need help with Stefan at any point, just call me. I'll be here," Elena smiled gratefully and nodded to her friend. They hugged at the door and said their goodbyes.

With Alaric, Jeremy, Caroline and Bonnie gone, and Elena making her way to Stefan's bedroom to sleep, Damon and Isa found themselves alone in his room. They were on the bed, facing each other with their arms wrapped around one another. They layed there, simply gazing into each others eyes, waiting for someone to ruin the perfect moment.

Damon sighed heavily and closed his eyes. This was it.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. TVD and Twilight belong to Julie Plec and Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

_Previously:_

_With Alaric, Jeremy, Caroline and Bonnie gone, and Elena making her way to Stefan's bedroom to sleep, Damon and Isa found themselves alone in his room. They were on the bed, facing each other with their arms wrapped around one another. They layed there, simply gazing into each others eyes, waiting for someone to ruin the perfect moment._

_Damon sighed heavily and closed his eyes. This was it._

* * *

"I didn't leave you," He breathed. Isa's eyes snapped to meet his but they were still closed. "I didn't leave you." He said again, more clearly this time.

She was lost, "What?"

His eyes opened finally and met her doe-like ones that were burning with questions. "I didn't abandon you, Isa." He said softly. "At least," His eyes closed again, "I didn't mean to."

She was so confused. He was avoiding the explanation. "Hey, look at me," She whispered, tilting his chin up slightly with her fingertip. Damon did as she wished. "What do you mean?" She asked, brows furrowed.

He sighed heavily once more and dove into the story that he had never told anyone before. "I mean it wasn't my choice to leave you." Isa's forehead creased even more. He wasn't making any sense. "When I walked out that door, I was pissed. You had been the most important person in my life - you still are - and when you told me about Katherine, I felt the deepest kind of betrayal. I wanted to believe that what I felt for Katherine was real, but everything you said - feeling like I had been deceived so thoroughly by you and her both - it cut me like a knife," His voice was distant.

"Damon," Isa breathed, wanting to apologize over and over. She knew that the truth had hurt him and she couldn't stand it.

"Don't," He cut her off, "I need to get this out. If I don't now, I never will." So she remained quiet. He sat up in the bed and brought his knees up, loosely wrapping his arms around them.

Isa sat up as well, scooting to the foot of the bed so that she was facing Damon, and she crossed her legs, waiting for him to continue.

"I didn't care." He said, more to himself than to her. "I walked out like anyone, because I was angry. But I worked it out, cooled off, and came back. I wasn't gone for more than a week," Isa inhaled sharply. She had never known that Damon came back; She had assumed he stayed mad and didn't want to see her for a long time. _He came back._ _He came back and I wasn't there for him. _She thought regretfully. She had run away like a scared little girl, afraid of confrontation, and because of that she had missed him.

"When I came back, you weren't there." He said what she had been thinking. "But someone was." His voice took on a dark quality and she looked up to meet his eyes that were gazing at the floor. However, from his tone, she knew he wasn't seeing it. "I was ambushed and when I woke up, I was in some sort of cell. I was weak and I couldn't get the door open and the guard was too far away to feed from. Later, I learned that I was taken captive by some secret society that had approached one of my great-nephews. They called themselves Augustine - Said they were doctors; Scientists that wanted to use their research on vampires to help people. But there was nothing helpful about what they did. I would know; I was one of their test subjects." Isa had tears in her eyes. She had never imagined this. Never thought that Damon was taken away from her against his will. "They were observing how our vampire cells regenerated after being injured. So they tortured us. Cut us open, ripped apart our organs, tore out our intestines. They did whatever they could to test our limits and make us scream. They only fed us one cup of blood a day; Just enough to keep us from desiccating, but not enough to keep us strong."

"Us?" Isa asked softly, both afraid and relieved that he might shut down the story-telling at the interruption.

"I wasn't the only guinea-pig they acquired. Enzo had been there for ten years before I got there. He was the one to hatch the escape plan."

"How did you escape?"

"They let us out once a year, for a New Years party. They'd parade us around like animals in a circus. Enzo thought that if one of us drank two cups of blood everyday leading up to the party, we would be strong enough to fight and break free of the psychos. And he was right."

"So which one of you did it?"

"I did. We 'Rock, Paper, Scissors-ed' for it. So I drank two cups of blood everyday for a year. When the party came and they took me out of the cage, I was strong. I fed properly for what felt like the first time. I killed them all- Relished in it, in fact. But while I was on a killing rampage I didn't notice the fire starting. Someone had knocked over a candle in the chaos of it all and the flames were everywhere. By the time I got to Enzo, the fire was too big. The bars were vervained and I could feel the flames engulfing me. I knew I couldn't save him."

"What did you do?"

"The only thing I could think of. I turned it off, and walked away." He said, pain and regret lacing his voice. "If I had stayed and fought for him, sure, I would've been doing something, but in the end, both of us would've died. I figured a lone survivor was better than no survivor. So I looked him in the eye, turned off my humanity, and walked away. And I felt nothing."

They were both silent. Damon was wrapped up in his own haunting memories and Isa was just trying to comprehend this. Damon was taken prisoner, tortured, while she had brushed it off and stopped looking for him. After all these years of thinking he didn't want to be found, it turned out she was right; He didn't _want_ to be found; He _needed_ to be found. And she had given up on him.

She thought back to the first time she had seen him again after their fight. It had been years later but he had shown no sign of being held captive. He hadn't said anything to indicate what had really happened. His humanity was off and his walls were up. He wouldn't let her in. Now she knew why.

A thought occurred to her.

"How long?" She asked.

"Five years." He replied.

Again she was silent. How had he been able to endure five years of such agony? How was anyone that strong? She knew that, had the roles been reversed, she wouldn't have survived.

"How?" She needed to know.

He knew what she was asking. He had reflected on that question himself many times over the years.

"You." He said simply. "The thought of you being out her in the real world, waiting for me when I got out. That's what kept me sane." She inhaled deeply. "I imagined what I'd say to you, how I'd explain my disappearing act, where I'd take you. We always said we'd go to Europe together, or Africa. I planned trips, dates. I told Enzo about you. Hell, I made up jokes and witty banter. Anything involving you. You were my best friend before I was taken, Isa. And while I was in there, you became my world. But then, I had to shut my humanity off to get out, and suddenly everything I had planned was shot to hell. I didn't even know where you were. So I went back to being the me I was before I met you and didn't think twice about it."

Damon stared into space, lost in his own thoughts. Isa was on the verge of tears and trying to let all the information sink in. She had never imagined this, never thought that Damon had cared, let alone this much.

In an instant, Isa crushed her lips against Damon's, surprising him. She couldn't think of any words that seemed to be enough, so instead, she kissed him passionately. Damon reacted quickly, responding to the kiss with equal force. For a few moments, their tongues battled for dominance until they finally needed air.

Damon rested his forehead on Isa's and both closed their eyes, simply enjoying the moment.

Damon spoke, "So does this mean I don't have to tell you those terrible jokes I came up with?" He asked playfully, trying to lighten the mood.

Isa laughed, "Nope. It just means that I expect a trip to Europe soon,"

"Geez, woman. Don't you think that's asking a bit much?"

"Oh, fine,"

"Thank you."

"A trip to Africa then," She giggled at the face he gave her.

"You're such a tease," He said.

"And you love every minute of it." She stated

He wrapped his arms around her waist as she wrapped hers around his neck. He gazed down at her admiringly.

"Yes, I do," He said, and leaned down to capture her lips with his own.

When they broke apart, Isa looked up to him and said, "Thank you." She knew it was incredibly difficult for him to share anything with others, but something like this was damn near impossible. She was genuinely surprised that he had even told her. She doubted he had ever told anyone else and Isa would always be grateful that he trusted her so completely. It really spoke volumes about their relationship.

Damon nodded in reply, knowing what she meant, and guided them into a laying position on the bed. His arms were protectively wrapped around her petit form. She tucked her head under his chin and snuggled closer.

"I love you," She whispered. It was getting easier and easier to say.

"I love you, too, Isa." She heard him say.

With that, they both fell into a peaceful sleep in each others embrace.

* * *

They woke to sounds of furniture smashing and glass shattering.

"Stefan, please!" They heard Elena plead. "You can fight it, I know you can,"

Isa was the first to register the situation. Stefan must've broken out of the cell, or maybe he had convinced Elena to let him out. Either way, he was a threat now, and he was on the loose.

She blurred downstairs and soon made herself the doppelgänger's body guard. Like Caroline had done last night, Isa stood before Stefan, blocking Elena from his reach. She had her vampire face out and hissed through her teeth making Stefan step back. He hadn't been expecting her.

At that moment, Damon rushed into the room as well. He quickly assessed the situation. Seeing that Isa could handle this, he nodded to her, then used his vampire speed and strength to remove both himself and Elena from the room.

With the human gone and nothing left for Stefan to attack but her, Isa forced her fangs to retract and raised her hands in a surrendering manner.

"Stefan, it's me, Isa," She said softly. "Stefan, come on. This isn't you. I'm not a threat to you. You know that." She said. Stefan looked at her as if he was just now recognizing her.

"Isa?" He asked.

"Yeah. It's me, Stef." She lowered her hands slowly, hoping he didn't go back into attack mode.

"It's been a long time."

"'98. I remember. You, me, Lexi, and Bon Jovi."

"It was a crazy night,"

"Sure was," She said, stepping closer. "I've missed you, Stef."

"I've missed you, too." He stepped forward and hugged her hesitantly.

"Klaus really did a number on you didn't he?" She asked softly.

Stefan pulled back and began pacing the room. "You've gotta help me, Isa. I don't know what he did but sometimes my humanity just slips. It's like I'm fine for a little while and then I just black out; Like the Ripper days."

"Of course I'll help, Stef." He breathed a sigh of relief. "And you're willing, right? Not gonna turn into a whiny little jackass after a week, are you?" She teased lightly.

He laughed. "I'm willing. I know I need help. You're my best bet."

"Well then, let's get you locked up. And stay put this time. That was not the best wake-up-call I've ever received."

"It's two o'clock in the afternoon, Isa. You should've been up by now."

"Yeah, well, Damon and I were up really late last night."

"Okay, that was a little more than I needed to know."

"Shut up, you perv," She rolled her eyes and threw her arm around his shoulder, guiding him to the cellar. "Besides, your brother and I haven't seen each other in years. What makes you think it wasn't just two old friends catching up, talking?"

"The fact that you guys haven't seen each other in years. Knowing you, and especially knowing Damon, you two should be going at it like bunnies right now."

She rolled her eyes. "You really are a perv."

"Well that may be, but tell me it's not true."

"It's not true." She stated.

"Come on,"

"No, really. Last night was totally innocent. And you would do well to keep your mind out of the gutter from now on, Little Salvatore." She said, as they reached the cellar and Stefan stepped in.

"Hey, do me a favor, Isa?" He asked as she shut the door. "Bring me a notebook and pen, please?"

She smiled knowingly. "You got it."

* * *

After doing as Stefan asked, Isa walked into the parlor to find Elena seated on the couch and Damon pouring himself a drink. She stepped to his side, surveying the stock.

"You know, you guys have no good scotch," She said.

"That's because no one in this house cares about scotch."

"No one meaning you?"

"Yup." He said, popping the 'P.'

"Well _I_ like scotch."

"Well then _you_ can buy it."

"Fine, I will. Until then," She snatched the glass of bourbon out of his hand, "You're supplying me with liquor. And none of that cheap crap. I want the good stuff." She sat opposite of Elena and crossed her legs, sipping her drink.

"Whatever you say," Damon replied with a tight-lipped smile, before pouring another glass.

Isa smirked and sipped her drink before turning to Elena who was watching the interaction with a smile.

"You okay? I know Stefan kinda freaked you out."

Elena looked to her and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I've seen him like this before, I guess you just never get used to it." She muttered to herself.

"You know it's okay," Isa said, "To melt down a little." Elena looked up and met her eyes which were soft and full of understanding.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean people can't always expect you to be perfect." Damon sat beside Isa and put his arm behind her. She unconsciously leaned closer to him. "You've dealt with a lot. Lost family, friends, had psycho hybrids and bitchy look-alikes threaten your life multiple times. No one can go through that and not break a little. I'm just telling you it's okay. Because if you don't let some of it out, you're gonna fall apart. And I don't want to see that happen to you."

"Why?" Elena asked.

"What can I say? I don't feel like checking you into the mental ward and making sure you take your daily dose of zanex." Both Isa and Damon smirked.

"No," Elena said, "I mean, why do you care?"

"Because you're a Petrova." Isa said simply. Elena stared at her, shocked. "The blood-line is thin, severely so, but you heard me last night. I don't have many people in my life. I value what family I have. That includes you, Elena." The young doppelgänger continued to stare at her, bewildered beyond speech. "I know this sounds wierd and I know you probably don't trust me because of my relationship with Katherine, but I will protect you and your friends. I'm not asking you to welcome me with open arms. I'm just saying, I'll be here if you need me."

The three of them were quiet for a few moments. Elena was thinking over everything that Isa had said. They were family, and like Isa, that wasn't something Elena had much of anymore. It couldn't be so bad to accept her. Damon trusted her, and from the story she had told it sounded like Stefan did as well.

"Okay." Elena said.

"Okay?" Isa asked.

"Yeah. I'm not saying that everyone will be as accepting as me, but you're right. We're family. And right now, I'm dangerously close to running out of that."

Isa stood and made her way over to Elena who rose as well. They embraced each other, somewhat awkwardly.

"I hope you know I'll kill you if you call me 'grandma'," Isa said.

Elena laughed, and just like that the tension between the two was gone. They pulled apart and smiled at one another.

"Well, before you two start making friendship bracelets," Damon suddenly spoke up, "I'd like to remind you of the small matter of my brother wanting to rip apart every human in town. Now I know that there aren't many left but I still think it's a bit of a problem."

Isa and Elena sat back down where they had been seated. Isa leaned forward and looked between the doppelgänger and the elder Salvatore.

"Stefan's willing." She stated. Damon's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Elena was confused. "What does that mean?"

"It means that he know he needs help and he's willing to let me do it." Isa said. Elena, like Damon, was shocked. Isa continued, "He's asked me to help him. He said that he can feel his humanity slipping. Sometimes, he'll be totally fine, and suddenly, it's like the Ripper days. Like the switch is being flipped without his awareness of it."

"Like someone else is controlling it," Damon said, lost in his thoughts.

"My thoughts exactly. Now, 'Rina said that Klaus compelled him in some way but she didn't hear it. This could be what he did."

"Yeah, but how would he be using Stefan?" Elena joined in. "Klaus left town. So how could he be controlling Stefan in any way if he's not here?"

"I don't know," Isa said, brows furrowed. "But I'm gonna find out." She had a determination in her voice that spoke greater volumes than her words. She snapped her head to meet Elena's gaze. "Call Bonnie. Have her bring a couple of her grimoires." Elena nodded and quickly got to dialing.

"What do you think Klaus did?" Damon asked.

"I'm not sure," Isa muttered, her thoughts going a million miles a second.

"I can see the wheels turning in your head. What are you thinking, Isa?"

"I'm thinking that it's about time someone put Klaus in his rightful place."

"And let me guess, that someone is going to be you?"

"Who else has the balls to?" She asked sweetly and Damon chuckled.

"Bonnie's on her way." Elena made herself known. "She's bringing Caroline."

"More the merrier," Isa said and stood. "I'm gonna call in another witch to help. If we're taking on Klaus, reinforcements can't hurt." Elena and Damon both nodded. "Well, what are we sitting around for? Let's get to work."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: TVD and Twilight belong to Julie Plec and Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

_Previously:_

_"What do you think Klaus did?" Damon asked._

_"I'm not sure," Isa muttered._

_"I can see the wheels turning in your head. What are you thinking, Isa?"_

_"I'm thinking that it's about time someone put Klaus in his rightful place."_

_"And let me geuss, that someone is going to be you?"_

_"Who else has the balls to?" She asked sweetly and Damon chuckled._

_"Bonnie's on her way." Elena made herself known. "She's bringing Caroline."_

_"More the merrier," Isa said and stood. "I'm gonna call in another witch to help. If we're taking on Klaus, reinforcements can't hurt." Elena and Damon both nodded. "Well, what are we sitting around for? Let's get to work."_

* * *

Isa sat patiently listening to the ringing, silently urging the person on the other end to pick up the phone. Three rings later, she was greeted with another voice.

"Hello?"

"You know you love me, right?" Isa began.

"Isa." The woman on the other end said. "What's wrong?" She said in a tired voice.

"What, Ang? Can't a girl just call to say 'Hi' to one of her favorite witches?"

"Wow. You've reminded me of our friendship and my powers, all within a thirty second window. You must really need something."

"You know, I thought you'd be happy to hear from me, but I guess I was wrong."

"Cut the crap, B. You know I love you. Now tell me what's wrong."

"I need you to come to Mystic Falls." She stated.

"The supernatural capital of the world?" Angela asked.

"The very same."

"What did you get yourself into this time, B?"

"Wouldn't it be so much more fun to show up and find out, rather than have me warn you in advance?" Isa was met with silence for a few moments and she decided to take a more serious approach. "Look, Ang, you know I wouldn't ask if it weren't important. I saw how together your life was in Forks. I wouldn't try to destroy that. But I'm in desperate need of a witch who knows what she's doing. I mean, we've got a Bennet witch in town and she's good and all, but she hasn't been practicing magic for very long. I'm worried that she may not be in total control."

"A Bennet witch?" Angela asked, clearly intrigued. Bennet witches were extremely powerful.

"Ha-ha," Isa smiled as if she had just won a game. "I knew you couldn't resist. Look, if you don't want to stay and be involved in this Shakespeare-tragedy-in-the-making, I totally get it. But could you at least do me a favor and make sure Bonnie knows what she's doing? It would suck if we went in and suddenly our greatest weapon was about as dangerous as a kitten."

Angela snickered. "Sure, I can be there in a couple of days. I'll call you when I get to town."

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just be ready for a house guest. I am not paying for a hotel."

"Done. See you soon, Ang."

"Wait, B?" Angela hesitated before continuing. "You should know, the Cullens came back into town a couple weeks ago. They went to Charlie's looking for you and they've asked me about you at school."

Isa ran her fingers through her hair. "What did you and Charlie tell them?"

"We stuck to the story. You went to visit Renee and then ran off to do your own thing for a while. You got tired of having to be perfect for everyone."

"They buy it?"

"Doubtful. And even if they did, they'll probably start looking for you as soon as they get the chance."

"Well for now I don't want to worry about them. No more Cold Ones. Ever. That was the stupidest thing I've ever done."

"Knowing you, that's saying something." Angela teased.

"Oh, shut up. Let me know if they give you any more grief. I'll go talk to them and put them in their place."

"Will do. See you soon, B."

"Bye, Ang." With that both girls hung up. Isa stuffed her phone back in her pocket and looked up to meet Damon's eyes. He was seated across from her on the couch.

"Cold Ones?" He asked amused.

She rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me."

"What were you doing with Cold Ones?"

She shrugged. "I was bored. I had heard about them and wanted to know what they were like." He raised an eyebrow at her, urging her to go on. At his look, Isa sighed and dove into tragic story about the drama that seemed to follow her. For the next half hour, Isa explained everything about the Cullens and what had happened with them leading up to Edward leaving her in the forest.

"He's sound like a douche." Damon finally said.

"My thoughts exactly. You know, I didn't even care about him, but someone telling you that you're simply not good enough for them hurts. And it didn't really help matters that he just up and left me in the forest. I swear to God, someday I'm going to have to go to a real therapist for abandonment issues." She leaned back into the couch.

"And your friend said they were back looking for you?"

"Yup." She said, popping the 'P'.

"So what are you gonna do about them?"

"Not a clue." She said. "I need a drink." She stated and walked over to the drink cart to pour herself some bourbon. Damon, sensing her discomfort about the Cullens, came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on top of her head. She grabbed his arms with one hand and smiled, grateful that he could tell she needed him.

"Just so we're clear," Damon spoke softly, "I need you to realize that I won't leave you ever again."

She turned in his arms and slid her hands around his neck. "I know."

"I promise you, Isa." He said, leaning forward to capture her lips.

"Ahem," They heard a throat clear and broke apart. "Sorry to break up the love-fest but we were called here for a reason." They turned to see Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena standing in the doorway, all three slightly confused.

Isa looked up at Damon. "Sorry, Blue-Eyes. Duty calls." She patted his cheek and untangled herself from him and made her way over to the girls.

"Don't think this is over just yet." He said, walking behind her.

She threw a playful smirk over her shoulder. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"Oh God," Everyone turned to Caroline, who was holding her face in her hands. "It's a female Damon." Bonnie and Elena snickered while Damon and Isa simply smirked . "Can I die now? For real this time? I can't handle two of him,"

"I resent that remark, Barbie," Isa said. "On the contrary, _Damon_ is a male me. Besides, I'm older, therefore, he has to be like me. Not the other way around."

"actually, Blondie, if you have a problem with me, Isa is definitely not the one you wanna talk to about it." Damon stated.

"And why would that be, Jackass?" Caroline asked snidely. Then her head snapped to him and she took on a confused look as she suddenly remembered something. "Wait a minute, Tyler bit you. Shouldn't you be, like, on your deathbed, regretting the horrible things you did in your lifetime or something? I thought that's what everyone did when they were dying,"

"Yeah, well, bad news, Barbie. You're not getting your stupid soap-opera moment just yet. Gonna have to put up with me a little while longer."

"What?"

"I'm cured."

"It's a Christmas-in-July miracle." Isa chimed in.

"It's May, Isa."

"Just go with it, dumbass."

"What are you talking about?" Bonnie asked, "How are you cured?"

"Klaus' blood." Damon said simply and shrugged, as if he were telling them what was for dinner.

"What?"

"It's why Stefan's off the rails," Isa said. "He paid the price for the cure. Apparently the cure was Klaus' blood. That's why 'Rina was here yesterday, she was delivering it to Damon."

"But why would Klaus want Stefan to pay for it?" Bonnie asked.

"And now we're down to business. That's why you're here. We don't know, but we're going to find out." Isa's tone told the girls that there was no arguing with her.

Bonnie nodded. "Okay, what do you need from me?"

"I've got another witch coming to help. She'll be here in a few days and, maybe between the two of you, we can figure this out a whole lot faster. Until she gets here, let's just go through your grimoires, try to find something that ties into our situation or even just gets Stefan under control."

"Okay." Bonnie nodded again and went to sit in front of the coffee table in the parlor, Elena and Caroline following her and helping to carry multiple spellbooks.

"Sure, make yourselves right at home." Damon muttered annoyed.

Isa turned to face him. "Hey, remember they're helping. The sooner we can get Stefan back to his brooding self, the better."

"Fine." He said, rolling his eyes and plastering on a fake smile. "I'll play nice."

"Thank you."

"But one migraine from the judgy little witch just because I make a snarky comment, and I can't guarantee that she'll leave here with all of her fingers." He stated, walking past Isa, who just rolled her eyes and chuckled at his immaturity.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Five hours later, the group found themselves in the exact same place where they had been. The only difference between then and now was the small pile of grimoires that had been searched through and the fact that Isa and Damon had shared what they knew about Stefan's current situation - Which was very little. So far, they had managed to look through four of the nine that Bonnie was in possession of.

Now Damon was seated on one couch looking through a spellbook. Isa was on floor before him leaning back against his knees, reading through a different grimoire. Bonnie mirrored Isa on the other side of the table using Elena for support while Elena and Caroline helped each other search, those two being the most unfamiliar with the strange language.

"Okay," Isa sighed as she sank back and ran her fingers through her hair. "It's break time. The words are starting to blur together."

"Oh, thank God," Caroline groaned as she mimicked Isa's motions. "I don't know how much more of this stupid language I can take. No offense, Bon," She said.

"None taken." Bonnie said, closing the worn out pages. "Even I'm getting sick of reading Theban. And I'm a witch."

"Who's ready to eat? Food or blood, doesn't really matter." Isa inquired. There were positive acknowledgements made from everyone. "Then move your lazy asses. Who's driving?"

"Where?" Caroline asked.

"Where do you think, Barbie?" Damon said snidely. "There's only one decent restaurant in town."

"The Grill it is." Elena said. "I'll drive."

"Nah-uh." Isa wagged a finger at her. "We're drinking tonight. Leave the driving to the vampires."

"Well then we're not taking my car," Damon piped in. "No throwing up in that thing. People have literally died by my hands for less."

Isa rolled her eyes at him. "Fine, I'll drive. But the same rule of 'no-vomiting-in-my-baby' applies."

The five of them walked out to the driveway.

"Damn, girl." Damon said when he spotted her car. "When did you get this beauty?"

"The year it was made, of course." Isa smirked. "1964." Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie all looked at her in shock.

Bonnie was the one to ask what they were all thinking. "You've been able to keep this running for fifty years?"

"Yup," She popped the 'P'. "It's a Cadillac Eldorado Convertible."

After that, they remained quiet until they set foot in the Grill. Damon threw his arm around Isa while she ushered the girls to the bar where they found Matt already waiting on Tyler. Between the six of them seated and Matt behind the bar, they almost filled the area. Tyler was on the end by the wall; Caroline sat beside him, then Bonnie, Elena, Isa, and Damon.

"Hey guys," Matt greeted them.

"Hey, Matt," Elena replied.

"Damon, your usual?" Damon smirked and raised his eyebrows in an affirmative manner. "And for you, Miss?" He addressed Isa.

"Don't call me 'Miss' if you value your life, dear boy," She smirked, "And we will be doing shots tonight."

"We?"

"We." Elena sighed out and gestured to the rest of them.

"Rough day?" He asked, as he set out their orders.

"You have no idea," Isa said, downing the small glass which Matt quickly refilled. "And keep 'em coming."

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Tyler spoke up.

Isa looked over at him and quickly knew what he was. "Name's Isabella. Friends call me Isa, you call me Bella. Got it, Cujo?" No matter how sensitive Tyler's friends were to his situation, they couldn't help the snorts that escaped them at hearing Isa's nickname for him. Damon simply smirked at his girl.

Tyler tensed up and his eyes widened ever so slightly. "Vampire," He muttered to himself.

Isa mock-gasped. "Very good. You get a treat," She turned to the bartender. "Matt, was it? Give Yeller down there a shot. It's on me." She faced Tyler again who was turning an embarrassing shade of red at the moment.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"Hey, I just came to the local bar to grab a drink. I didn't realize someone had already been here and marked their territory."

Tyler stood and made his way to her seat where he got in her face. Damon quickly laid a hand on his chest and roughly pushed him back, growling ever so slightly.

"She's off limits." He said threateningly. Damon turned back to Isa and quietly told her, "Lay off the pet names for a few minutes. He's new to this life." She arched an eyebrow in question. "He's only turned twice." He stated.

"Oh," She said, the expression of taunting on her face rapidly changing to one of sympathy. Isa looked to meet Tyler's gaze. "Sorry. I didn't realize. I just, well, I've had bad experience with wolves so whenever I run into them I automatically go into bitch mode."

Tyler scoffed at her. "Yeah, I kinda got that."

"So can I take back the last five minutes and meet you _without_ seeming like the insensitive bitch you'll soon find out I am?"

He chuckled and rolled his eyes at her. This girl might be a bitch like she said but at least she admitted it, just like he knew he was a dick. Maybe she wasn't so bad. "Fine. I'm Tyler," He held out a hand for her.

She took it. "Bella."

"I thought you said friends called you Isa,"

She smiled at him. "Cute. But you're still a wolf. Ask me again in about a week. Maybe by then you'll be a friend."

He smiled and shook his head then sat back down. "So what brings you to Mystic Falls?" He asked.

"I'm a vampire, supernatural. And last time I checked, Mystic Falls was the supernatural capital of the world. Figured it was about time I fit in somewhere." She shrugged and Tyler simply laughed at her response, as did the girls.

"And here I thought you might actually have come for me." Damon said, faking hurt.

"Well then you, sir, need a major ego check." She teased him.

"Oh, you just don't want to admit the truth." He said.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh fine. Maybe you had a _little _something to do with it."

"Ha ha," Damon smirked in victory. "I knew it."

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Don't go getting a big head now, Salvatore." She warned him.

"Too late." He smirked and leaned down to kiss her before she could turn away. Isa happily returned the show of affection and for a few moments, the two ignored everything around them.

"Okay, you two." Caroline interrupted. "Save the PDA for later. I'm not nearly drunk enough to witness that."

They broke apart and each grinned devilishly in Carolines direction. She simply rolled her eyes and gulped down the contents of the small glass in front.

Elena grabbed Isa's attention at that point. "So," She sighed. "Why are we drinking?"

"Because, my dears, life sucks." Isa stated, addressing the three teenagers that were staring at her. "For everyone. But when you're involved with or are a supernatural being it's ten times worse. And this whole predicament with Klaus and Stefan is going to be making everything that much harder. It's not going to be easy or pretty. Trust me, I speak from experience."

"So that's your justification for getting a bunch of under-age girls to drink an insane amount of alcohol?" Caroline asked. "Not that I'm complaining,"

"Nope. It's my justification for giving you a speech about accepting this life. Liquor just makes you not want to punch me for it. So here goes; None of us sitting here chose this life- We were all forced into it by either genes or some outside force or person. Well I say, to hell with how we got to this place. What matters is that we're here. Now, you can either choose to embrace it or try to be normal. But I honestly think that we've landed in our positions for a reason. So my motto is 'When life changes to be harder, change yourself to be stronger.' Just something to think about when the next hardship comes along and your sitting there thinking that all you want is to be a regular person again." Isa downed her fifth shot and turned to Damon. "C'mon, Salvatore. I wanna kick your ass at pool." She grabbed his hand and dragged him to the pool table where she began setting up so they could play, all the while the elder Salvatore brother couldn't wipe the proud smirk off of his face.

They left Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, and even Tyler sitting at the bar with their mouths hanging slightly open. None of them had ever thought about their predicaments that way and now they didn't really see how they couldn't have. Sure, life sucked sometimes - Isa had said so herself. But there wasn't anything they could do about it; Might as well learn how to roll with the punches the way she and Damon seemed to.

"She's right," Elena said. "We're not normal, and we never will be. The sooner we accept it, the sooner we can all move on and focus on more important things." With that, she stood from the stool and made her way over to Isa and Damon, leaving her friends to contemplate.

"Hey there, little Petrova," Isa greeted her happily, clearly tipsy at the very least. "Come to watch Salvatore get his ass handed to him at pool?"

"Only in your dreams, Iskra," Damon said, watching as Isa's eyes softened slightly at his use of her real name - He was the only one she allowed to call her that other than her sister. However, she kept up the playful banter they always used.

"Whatever," Elena said. "I'm just here to play the winner."

"I look forward to the game." Damon told her with a smirk.

"Only in your dreams, Damon." Isa quipped and threw him a wink.

"Oh, Isa, I do a lot in my dreams. And none of it involves playing pool with Elena here."

Isa rolled her eyes at him. "You have the dirtiest mind I know of."

"It's not a dirty mind," He said, offended.

"Oh, what do you call your royal perviness, then?"

"A sexy imagination." He said and pulled her in to smash his lips against her.

Isa pushed him off of her with a smirk and gestured to the game. "Eyes on the prize, Salvatore."

"My thoughts exactly." He said, his eyes never straying from hers and his smirk matching hers.

At that moment, Caroline, Tyler, and Bonnie made their way over to the rest of the party.

"Who's winning?" Tyler asked.

"You assume we've even been playing, Cujo," Isa spoke up without taking her eyes off of Damon. "But it seems poor Blue-Eyes here just can't keep his head in the game with me around."

Caroline scoffed. "Yeah, 'cause he's too busy undressing you with his eyes. Honestly, I don't see how you can stand him. Like you said, he's a perv."

"On the contrary, Blondie," said Damon, his eyes also unmoving, "Between the two of us, Isa's the one with her mind in the gutter all the time."

"Oh really?" Damon arched a brow at Carolines skepticism. "Then why doesn't she come off sounding like such a filthy creep?"

"Because unlike Damon, I actually have a filter between my brain and my mouth." Isa stated. She walked up to Damon and snaked her arms around his neck. She leaned up and whispered in his ear, "Two things to remember in life, Salvatore; To take care of your thoughts when you're alone and to take care of your words when you're with people."

He gazed down at her. "Well, I always was a slow learner."

"Good thing you've got nothing but time." She pulled his head down to hers and their lips met. For a few moments, their tongues battled for dominance, until they were interrupted, yet again.

"No sex on the pool table, guys." They heard Tyler say.

"Talk about a buzz-kill." Damon said as they pulled apart.

"You're no fun," Isa joined in on the bashing. "And here I thought you were trying to get on my good side."

"Hey, I'm just trying to save you the embarrassment of being arrested for public nudity." He held his hands up in a fake surrender.

"Please," Damon said as both he and Isa rolled their eyes. "Been there,"

"Done that." She finished for him. "Cujo, if you live your entire immortal life without doing and getting caught for things that would make little Elena there blush at the mere mention of them, then you, sir, will lead an extremely boring life." Elena blushed at the comment.

Tyler looked confused for a minute. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You're a werewolf now." Damon spoke. "Practically as indestructible as any vampire, as much as I hate to admit it." He mumbled the last bit.

"Start living like it." Isa picked up where Damon left off. "Have fun and don't you dare take life too seriously; Nobody gets out alive anyway." They all chuckled at her terrible joke that made some twisted sort of motivational sense.

Damon wrapped his arm around her. "Trust us, we speak from experience."

"I know what you mean," Caroline said. "I feel like I should be doing so much more with being a vampire than going to school."

Elena laughed. "Please, this is our senior year. You've been waiting for this since we became freshmen. Senior prank night, ditch day, Homecoming, etc."

"And you can't honestly tell me you'd want someone to take your place as head of the dance committee." Bonnie chimed in.

"Plus, you've been dreaming to be Prom queen since you were nine years old." Elena added.

"And Homecoming queen."

"And Senior class president."

"And Homecoming organizer."

"And-"

"Okay, okay," Caroline cut them off and raised her hands. "I get it. I wouldn't actually drop out of school okay?" The three girls laughed. "I just feel like I want to do so much more with my infinite amount of time than be stuck listening to boring teachers drone on about stuff that I'll never need to know."

"Well, like you said," Isa interjected. "You have an infinite amount of time. For now, go to school, spend time with your friends that are human, spend time with your mom." She looked down sadly. "I don't mean to be the major party pooper here and point out the depressing, but eventually your family will die. You'll remain forever young while they grow old and your forced to bury them. So, while they're still here, take advantage of the time you have with them. When they're gone, you can do whatever you want, but, trust me, you're going to want all the memories you can acquire with the ones you love." She was still looking down and everyone had quieted around her. She looked up to meet their pitying eyes. She quickly got to her feet. "Excuse me," She made her way to the restroom without waiting for any reply and knew that Damon was following her.

When Damon entered the restroom behind her, he locked the door and grabbed Isa's arm, pulling her into him. She didn't resist, instead simply letting him hold her as she cried. Damon knew everything about her past and how her family had been taken from her because of Klaus' anger towards her sister. He knew she took it extremely hard and, despite all the pain it brought her, she had never turned off her humanity - She could be a bitch but that was all in her personality, she was always a firecracker. But having never turned off your humanity in five-hundred years took its toll. That's why every now and then, she needed a break-down moment. This was one of them. That's why he was okay with holding onto her as she drenched his shirt with tears that she'd held in for years and whispering soothing words into her hair.

When she calmed down minutes later, she looked up to meet his soft gaze that was filled with concern. She gave him a look that told him she was grateful and he wiped her tears from her cheeks with his thumbs, resting his hands on either side of her face.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked quietly.

She sighed. "No," She admitted. "But I can act like it for half an hour and then we can go home. Okay?"

He still looked unsure but nodded and escorted her to the pool table where Bonnie and Caroline appeared to be in a heated game with Elena cheering on Bonnie and Tyler cheering on Caroline. Elena was the first to notice the couple emerge from the bathroom and saw the slight puffiness of Isa's eyes. She slipped away from the group and surprised even herself by not saying anything before grabbing Isa in a hug. Isa was shocked but reacted on instinct and returned the hug.

Elena spoke quietly. "You should know that you'll have me from now on." The doppelgänger pulled back, gave Isa a meaningful look, and went back to her friends.

Damon and Isa looked at each other, surprise evident on their faces, until Damon recovered and smiled at his girl. Maybe she wouldn't be on her own anymore. And for that, he couldn't be happier. She was finally getting some family back.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Okay, so this was more of a filler chapter. I've been busy and didn't want to get into the drama of the story when my attention isn't fully focused. This chapter was also to establish the friendships and various relationships between Isa and the rest of the Mystic Falls gang. Let me know what you thought, If the Cullens should show up, what you think of the sort of sister relationship between Elena and Isa. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

A little warning; I probably won't be able to update next Sunday, but I will if I get the chance. Just don't hate me if I can't. Going out of town and can't take my computer with to write. :(

Next chapter, Angela shows up, the gang is searching for answers, and a little sneak peak into what Klaus is up to. Suggestions are always welcome - Please review


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